Home remedies for kidney stones, like chanca-piedra tea or hibiscus tea, tend to contain diuretic and inflammatory properties. These can help to reduce inflammation caused by the passage of stones through the urinary tract.
Another home remedy for kidney stones is black mulberry tea, which also contains a diuretic properties and can be used to complement prescribed medical treatment. Lemon juice is also a great natural option.
Ideally, these remedies should be reported to your doctor or monitored by a medicinal plant specialist. You are advised to purchase the plants at natural health product stores, to avoid confusing them with other similar plants. Kidney stone treatment should also involve an adequate diet, which can be advised by a registered dietitian. Learn more about what causes kidney stones and how they are treated.
Home remedies for kidney stones include:
1. Chanca-piedra tea
The chanca-piedra, or stone-breaker, plant is scientifically known as Phyllanthus niruri. It is commonly utilized to treat kidney stones, as it reduces the formation of crystals and prevents further growth of already-existent stones in the kidneys.
Ingredients:
- 1 liter of water
- 20 g of chanca-piedra extract
How to prepare:
To prepare the tea, boil the water, then add the plan. Steep for 15 minutes, strain and drink. You can drink this tea up to three times per day.
2. Black mullberry tea
Black mullberry contains substances known as flavonoids, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This medicinal plant also contains diuretic properties that help to eliminate kidney stones.
Ingredients:
- 15 g of dried black mulberry leaves
- 1 liter of boiled water
How to prepare:
Place the leaves in the boiled water and steep for 15 minutes. Then strain and drink the tea four times per day.
3. Java tea
This medicinal plant is commonly known as java, but scientifically referred to as Orthosiphon aristatus. It is commonly used to treat kidney stones and UTIs, due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
Ingredients:
- 6 g of dried java leaves
- 1 liter of boiling water
How to prepare:
Place the leaves in the boiling water and steep for 10 to 15 minutes, then strain. Drink this tea two to three times per day.
4. Lemon juice
Lemons contain a compound called citrate, which helps to break-up calcium deposits that form kidney stones. Lemon juice can therefore be used to eliminate kidney stones and delay their growth.
Read more about the health benefits of lemons and how they can be consumed.
Ingredients:
- 1 whole lemon
- 500 mL of water
How to prepare:
Squeeze the lemon directly into the water, which can be previously cooled in the fridge. Ideally, you should avoid adding sugar. If you would like to sweeten the juice, you can add a little honey.
5. Hibiscus tea
Hibiscus is a plant that is often used to treat kidney stones because it has diuretic properties that help to increase urinary frequency. This plant can also reduce the accumulation of crystals in the kidneys.
Read more about the benefits of hibiscus tea and what it can be prepared for.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of dried hibiscus
- 1 liter of water
How to prepare:
To make this tea, boil the water and then add the dried hibiscus. Allow to steep for 15 minutes, then strain and drink. This tea can be consumed up to four times per day.
6. Miner's tea
Miner's tea, prepared with Echinodorus grandiflorus, contains diuretic and detoxing properties that help to eliminate kidney stones. It also contains anti-inflammatory action which can help to relieve symptoms.
Also recommended: Top 10 Kidney Stone Symptoms (with Online Symptom Checker) tuasaude.com/en/kidney-stone-symptomsIngredients:
- 20 g of miner's tea leaves (dried)
- 1 L of water
How to prepare:
Place the leaves in a pot with the water and boil for 10 minutes. Then strain, wait for it to cool and drink two to three cups per day.
7. Parsley tea
Parsley contains diuretic and detoxing properties as it is rich in iron and flavonoids. These substances can increase urine volume and help to kidney stone elimination.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of water
- 1 teaspoon of freshly chopped parsley, including the stems
How to prepare:
Boil the water, then remove from heat and add the parsley. Stir, then steep for 20 minutes. Drink throughout the day.
8. Dandelion tea
Dandelion tea is rich in substances such as nitriles, phenylacetic acid and dehydrovomyfoliol. It has a naturally diuretic action that promotes the elimination of urine and kidney stones.
In addition, this tea has anti-inflammatory properties that can help to relieve discomfort caused by kidney stones. Read more about what dandelion tea can be taken for.
Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons of crushed or powdered dandelion root
- 200 mL of filtered water.
How to prepare:
Boil the water and then pour it over a cup containing the dandelion root. Let it steep for 10 minutes. Strain, let it cool and drink up to 3 times a day.
This tea should not be consumed by pregnant or breastfeeding women.
9. Horsetail tea
Horsetail tea has a potent diuretic effect due to the quercetin, apigenin, and caffeic and cinnamic acids in its composition. These help to promote urine production and elimination, which can help to flush out kidney stones.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon of dried horsetail stem
- 1 cup of filtered water
How to prepare:
Boil the water and add it to the cup with the dried horsetail stem. Allow to infuse for about 5 to 10 minutes. Strain, wait for it to cool and drink up to 2 cups a day, preferably after your main meals of the day.
Horsetail tea should not be used for more than 1 week, as it excess use can lead to dehydration and the elimination of essential minerals of the body. This can lead to side effects such as diarrhea, severe headache, weight loss, pancreatitis, changes in heart rate and muscle weakness.
This tea should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women, nor by anyone with a history of heart failure, low blood pressure and kidney disease, as it can lower blood pressure and also has a strong diuretic effect.
10. Corn silk tea
Corn silk tea has a diuretic effect that helps to increase urinary frequency, which can help to eliminate kidney stones.
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon of corn silk
- 1 cup of filtered water
How to prepare:
Boil the water with the corn silk, then cover and allow to steep for 5 minutes. Strain, wait for it to cool and drink up to 3 cups a day.
Corn silk tea should not be used by pregnant women, breastfeeding women and men with prostate hyperplasia. It should also be used with caution by people who take medication for high blood pressure or diabetes.
11. Sarsaparilla tea
Sarsaparilla tea has an irritating effect on the mucous membranes of the kidneys, which triggers a diuretic effect that helps to eliminate kidney stones.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of dried sarsaparilla root;
- 250 mL of water.
How to prepare:
Add the ingredients to a pot and boil for about 3 or 4 minutes. After this time, cover the pot and let it rest for another 10 minutes. Then strain and drink 1 to 2 cups a day while warm.
Sarsaparilla tea should not be used by children, pregnant women or breastfeeding women. It should also be avoided by those with a history of high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney failure, or anemia, and anyone taking lithium or digoxin.
12. Ash infusion
An ash infusion made with the medicinal plant Fraxinus excelsior contains naturally anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that can help relieve renal colic caused by kidney stones.
Ingredients:
- 10 to 20 g of dried ash leaves;
- 1 liter of filtered water.
How to prepare:
Boil the water, remove from heat, and add the dried ash leave. Let it infuse for 10 minutes, then strain and drink 2 to 3 cups a day.
Ash tea should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding, nor should it be used by people who are taking painkillers.